TMNT To A Great Beginning
by mysteryred
Summary: A little Leorai for the new year. I do not own TMNT. *Nominated in the 2016 Universal Fanfic Comp for Loveliest Romance*


A/N: A little Leorai for new years.

Winds, bitter and piercing whipped across the rooftop. His brother's each stayed put, insisting they had the perfect spot to see the ball drop.

He understood Michelangelo's need to be as close to the party as he could get. Well, actually he didn't understand it at all. It went against everything their father had spent the latter part of his life instilling upon them. In fact every time he indulged his youngest brother in his celebratory fascinations it meant he had to be three times as vigilant to ensure they remain unseen. Though he was fairly certain Michelangelo would be overjoyed at such a mishap. Unless of course it ended as it most likely would, with his feelings hurt and humanity hunting them like an alien plague.

The dark blue tails of his mask tangled together as they flew forward into his face. He ignored them, determined to remain as still as possible. It was doubtful anyone would notice the slight movement of his hand. He was well hidden behind the darkened corner of a billboard. It had taken Donnie no time at all to disconnect a few bulbs and they were front and center for the big show, high above the masses below.

He'd never understood the excitement around the ball drop. A million people gathered together, crowded, cold and many of them drunk, with no access to a toilet, and no comfort after standing on their feet for hours on end, freezing their butts off. Where was the joy in the noise and clamor? Yet there he was, so close yet just far enough away, watching them encircle the platform holding the enormous sphere, staring at it with bleary wind-wet eyes, some of them high, some tipsy, some with a smile stretched so thin it threatened to break.

He watched them, ready to spring into action should he sense anything life threatening. It was all he could do to keep his shell where it was as pickpockets made their way through, spying the easy takings of the inebriated. Then there were the con artists, hitting easy marks as they posed as beggars. Police were everywhere, but they were probably looking for violent occurrences at the moment. They were smiling wide as every other child, out way past their bedtime, stopped their parents to say hello to their heroes in uniform.

Their known heroes.

He exhaled out the slight stab of envy at the privileges he would never have. He was happy with who he was and embraced the secrecy of their shadowed lives. His gaze drifted towards his brothers. Raphael watched the people below in near silence, taking it all in. Every now and then he'd mumble something incoherent into the cupped palm of his hand. Then his eyes would rove the crowd again. Maybe he was seeing the same crooks out to ruin the party.

Donatello who'd taken up a seat beside him proceeded to give the history of the ball drop. He led off his lesson with, "The first ball drop occurred in 1907. That sphere was illuminated with... … … … and weighed only 500 pounds." Leo held back a sigh, simply nodding his head ever so often as he checked in and out of Donnie's plethora of knowledge. "This sphere is made of Waterford crystal triangles, illuminated with LED lighting and weighs 12,000 pounds..." Mostly when he tuned in it was to filter for verbal cues of potential danger, but he'd yet to hear of any.

Then there was Mikey. His baby brother was chomping at his chuks as he paced back and forth jabbering on about how badly he wanted to be down there. If Leo could, he'd glue Mikey's tail to the rooftop before he did something to draw attention to them. With every pass near the edge he'd lingered longer. Like right then when he- Was he waving at someone?! "Mikey! Mikey, what are you doing?"

"Relax, bro. It's April, she's covering the ball drop."

"And I'm going to drop you." Raph snapped at him. "Get over here and sit down before you're seen. If April spied you someone else could too."

"Ohhh, I so want to be down there." Michelangelo pouted, but plopped down beside Raph anyway. "Oh, what's this?" He leaned in, grabbing at something in Raph's hand.

"Nothin'. Mind yer business and back the shell up." Raph put his free hand in Mikey's face and the two began engaging in banter that Leo wasn't in the mood for.

He opted to ignore them for the moment with only a mild scolding. "Shhh. Be quiet. We're ninjas-"

" _Ninjas are quiet. We know_ ," all three of his brother's said in bored unison.

There was a long stretch of near silence, at least among them.

With a brief reprieve from all the chatter, Leo could look ahead somewhat more relaxed. But his eyes skimmed over the crowd to the giant illuminated ball, up to the peak of the rooftop just beyond. There perched on the edge was the silhouette of the enigmatic kunoichi who'd turned down his invitation to join them. The flashes of silver in a flickering rhythm was his invitation to join her. He frowned, wondering if she'd ever come home. He reached in his belt, fishing out a shuriken, tilting it back and forth asking her to join them instead.

He got so caught up arguing with her Donnie's hand on his shoulder, Mikey's laughter, and Raph's throat clearing, nearly drifted over his head.

"Dude, just go talk to her." Mikey grinned, his eyes darting from Leo to were Karai was perched and back.

Leo's cheeks rushed hot as he tucked the star back in his belt. "No. I told her to come over here."

Raph snorted. "For a strategy guy you ain't that bright."

Leo met his hot-headed brother with an even stare. _I'm bright enough I've figured out what you're up to._

Donnie dropped his hand to his side. "I think she wants to talk to you alone, Leo."

He knew that. It's just...

The second Leonardo closed them the year seemed to rush through his eyelids. They'd defeated mind control worms, yet another alien invasion, lost Karai and found her within days of her return. But she'd come back with a vengeance. She'd come back part light and part dark and though she knew it she let the latter threaten to consume her. Even April's had claimed her for a time. He inhaled deep and let it out slow. A long hard year indeed. If only Karai had the strength to fight her demons and win.

He believed she did, but wasn't so sure she believed it of herself. Not when her choices repeatedly painted her in an uncertain future. After they defeated Shredder together he'd thought it was finally over. But she still sat on his throne, queen of the Foot clan. To what end?

He opened his eyes, gazing into the giant shimmering orb of light, music blaring below. Maybe at the top of that sphere was the beginning and as it traveled down to kick off the year below, it would carry that brilliance like a torch to chase away the darkness, the lingering remnants of a past that no longer served any of them.

Donnie knelt beside him, keeping his voice low. "Leo, go talk to her."

"Ironic," Leo huffed.

"What is?" his most intelligent brother queried.

"That you'd be giving me advice on the matter." He cast his brother a sideways glance that had Donnie's eyes narrowing. They both looked to the budding reporter speaking into a microphone below.

Donnie sighed. "Maybe later. It's your turn right now."

Two more flashes of light against steel beckoned to him, and somewhere not too deep within he wanted to drift toward them. He stood from his hiding place and pointed a finger at Raph. "Hand it over."

Raph straightened, squaring his shoulders as he looked at Leo straight on. "I don't know what yer talkin' about."

Leo let out a dry laugh. "We've had this conversation. I'll give it back, I just need to take care of something really quick. Let me see it."

Raph rolled his eyes as he handed over one of Donnie's extended radius walkie-talkies.

Leo depressed the button on he side. "Take the night off, Casey. Scout Raph is officially off duty. Come up here and hang out."

He handed the device back to Raph as Mikey snickered behind him. Leo turned for the ledge. "Here goes nothin."

Or here goes everything.

It didn't take long to cross the four rooftops between them, but the second his feet hit the gravel a rush of steel was flying toward his face.

He drew his weapons, blocking her strikes as their eyes met over the wrong side of their blades. "Really, Karai? No, hi, Leo? How are things? Good. Thanks for asking. Just straight to the-"

Their swords clashed as she backed him up to a utility closet and he wondered how he'd let her manipulate him that way. And so fast. So damn fast.

She was skilled when he met her, but now, now she was accomplished. She'd gained poise, elegance, mastered new levels of their art. Maybe it had been the secret training sessions with Splinter that she thought he didn't know about. After training with both masters she'd become even more formidable.

She attacked again, her blade scraping the cinderblock wall above his head. She'd struck high on purpose. His pride burned in his chest, his jaw shifting as he rolled off to the side only to wheel around and counter.

She laughed as they danced around the rooftop, kicking up tiny clouds of dirt as steel flashed in their eyes, their breath in tiny puffs that fogged their weapons. All the while the reflection of a great ball of light waiting for midnight to fall, glowed in their pupils.

Her lips were spread thin by the upturn of her mouth. "Hi, Leo." She smirked. "How are things?"

He snorted as their blades crossed again and he pushed forward thrusting her back. She took a few steps to collect herself. Her sharp eyebrows lifted. "You're in a mood."

"You attacked me, remember? Do we fight until one of us yields, or do we stop and talk like normal people?" He lifted one eye ridge.

Her golden eyes sparkled as she laughed, stepping into her next attack. "Since when are we normal?"

His heart skipped beats as she pulled her stroke up short rather than following through. He'd only intended to block her, but he wasn't feeling their game tonight. Sometimes it really ignited a fire in him. She matched his skill, challenged him the way his brothers could with their own weapons, but a fellow swordsman... or was it swordswoman? He'd have to ask-

She snapped her fingers before his eyes. "What is with you tonight?"

He turned his shell to her as he sheathed his weapon, hoping to hide the rush of blood to his cheeks. He knew full well he was blushing, he'd seen Donnie do it enough over April.

But that wasn't what he should be thinking about. He should be trying to convince her to end the Foot once and for all, to come home with them. But then what kind of home was the sewer for a mutant-human girl? And why hadn't it ever occurred to him before that living beneath a city that she could just as easily fit into, be a choice she'd deliberately ever make? What did he have to offer her, really?

His heart clenched as he felt her slipping away, or maybe the hope he held close beside her. He was about to leave, walk away, and try his damned best not to look back, when the rooftop blurred into focus and something blue caught his eye.

"I thought you might not come, and that I'd wasted my time getting all of this ready." Her breath was warm amid the brisk cold air rushing across his shoulder. Her fingers grazed his arm as she came to stand beside him.

On the rooftop just ahead was a slumbering garden and in its center a small greenhouse. There in the center a blue blanket was stretched out on the floor, small candles at each of its corners. There were two mugs and a small bag near the door.

"It's warmer in there, and a good view of the ball. I brought hot tea and take out from Murakami's." She reached down and slipped her tiny hand in his. "Gyoza."

He dazedly followed her into the small space, the room falling quiet as she closed the door and it muffled out the din of the city below. It was warmer too, and he knelt across from her accepting the steaming mug into shaky hands. There was a soft pink to the apples of her cheeks as she reached for the food. His heart went from flittering around like a bird trapped in a cage to just hammering against his plastron in a strong steady beat. She'd planned this. Why? He watched her eat while taking bites of gyoza, only the intermittent sounds of chewing and swallowing between them.

"You should come over here, by me. That way you can see it better." She beckoned him to her, but from where he sat he was sure he could see everything he wanted. Her rich golden eyes, the pink cast of her cheeks, the soft upturn of her lips... "Leo, come sit by me. The ball will drop soon."

He finished his last bite, dropped his chopsticks in the bag and moved it to the side as he scooted alongside her. He couldn't remember a time where they were alone together and not engaging in a sassy exchange or swordplay. She leaned across him, her body brushing against his as she reached for her mug. Her hair, soft and shining brushed his cheek and his face rushed hot all over again.

As she turned to look at him the scent of jasmine hit him, stealing his breath. She sat up again, only shift about then lean against him like a pillow. She exhaled deep and he felt her body relax. He soon found himself doing the same, lifting an arm around her slight frame to pull her closer.

Her chest lifted with each quiet inhale as they sat together staring at the giant crystal ball just beyond the glass. She reached for his hand again as she pulled his arm closer around her. His breath hitched as she brought the back of his callused palm to her lips.

"Ten!" The crowd shouted so loud it reached beyond the glass.

"Leo," she began.

"Nine!"

"Yeah?" His voice came out gruff, his heart beating hard as he dropped his gaze and she tipped back her head to look up at him.

"I-" she hesitated.

"Eight!"

There was a force between them. There always had been. From the second their swords first clashed and he looked in those molten eyes. She had him.

"There's something I want you to know."

"Seven!"

His chest grew tight, as their faces gravitated closer. She swallowed and his gaze shifted to the hard pumping artery in her neck, then back to her perfect face.

"I want-"

"Six!"

A flicker of irritation crossed her features as the crowd cut her off yet again.

He smiled, drifting closer still, until her breath heated his lips, her eyes locked on him.

"Five!"

"What is it, Karai?" Even as he asked he wasn't sure he wanted to know. But then everything about this moment said he did.

"Four!"

"I'm moving in with April. It's the closest I can-"

"Three!"

Her jaw clenched then relaxed as she tried to talk faster than the crowd could count. "It's the closest I can get to-"

"Two!"

She sighed. "To coming home."

"One!"

Her eyes darted over his face, her hand reaching up to stroke his cheek. The warmth of her seeped into his skin so deep his heart swelled and his blood burned. He could snatch her up, hold her close and lose himself in her. She was strong and courageous, yet breakable and... and together they were both darkness and light.

Balanced.

"Yeah?" He asked as the reflection of the golden light began to drop in her eyes.

Whole.

She nodded.

He smiled. It was a fine compromise, a good solution.

She rolled her eyes, trembling just a bit in his arms. As the giant chandelier of light dipped from view their mouths met in a tender caress he wished would never end. When their lips parted and closed together again he knew that was impossible. Every breath was a ticking second in time, a passing, fleeting moment, the kind he'd not dared hope for, the kind he was grateful to know, to feel, and as he tasted the sweetness of her he knew he'd never forget. No matter what the new year brought it was off to a great start.


End file.
